Resistentialism is a jocular theory to describe "seemingly spiteful behavior manifested by inanimate objects", [1] where objects that cause problems (like lost keys, a malfunctioning printer, or a runaway bouncy ball) are said to exhibit a high degree of malice toward humans. The theory posits a war being fought between humans and inanimate objects, and all the little annoyances that objects cause throughout the day are battles between the two.
The term was coined by humorist Paul Jennings in a 1948 piece in The Spectator titled "Report on Resistentialism" which stated: "Things always win, and man can only be free from them by not doing anything at all." [2] [3] The word is a blend of the Latin res ("thing"), the French résister ("to resist"), and the existentialism school of philosophy. [4] The movement is a spoof of existentialism in general, and Jean-Paul Sartre in particular, Jennings naming the fictional inventor of Resistentialism as Pierre-Marie Ventre. The slogan of Resistentialism is "Les choses sont contre nous" ("Things are against us").
As discussed regarding the history of Murphy's law and of similar laws or corollaries such as Finagle's law and Sod's law, the perceived perversity of the universe has long been a subject of comment, and the concept may be as old as humanity. Examples from literature include the following: